Two London-based English Premier League clubs, Arsenal and Chelsea, have been hit with a fresh wave of headlines about several Nigerian-born players on their cards, as the duo of Bryan Fiabema and Jamal Musiala are waxing strong with The Blues, while The Gunners have unleashed Joel Ideho and Folarin Balogun in promising dimensions.
Megasportsarena.com gathered that latest information on offer from Loudon reveals that Ideho made his competitive debut for the youth team of Arsenal against Blackburn Rovers in a Premier League 2 clash on Friday night at The County Ground in Lancashire.
The former Ajax Amsterdam of Holland youngster, who was born in Tilburg, joined Arsenal a day after the close of the summer transfer window but he only started training with their youth team on October 26.
Ideho was included in the matchday squad against Liverpool last Friday but did not get any playing time; but Friday was different and, with ten minutes left, Arsenal’s youth team’s coach, Steve Bould handed him his debut by bringing him on to replace fellow-Nigerian-born lad, Folarin Balogun.
Other players of Nigerian descent on parade for The Gunners included Joseph Olowu, who is back at Emirates Stadium after a loan spell at Cork City, as well as Zach Awe and Tim Akinola; but none of them hit target, as their side spanked Blackburn 6-0, in their biggest win since the start of the Premier League 2 in 2016.
The game came few hours after Balogun was named alongside Manchester City defender Nathanael Ogbeta and Chelsea attacking midfielder Faustino Anjorin in England’s under-20 national team.
Similarly, Arsenal midfielder Miguel Azeez will be with England’s under-19 squad at St George’s Park, while Celtic goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi, Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka and Manchester City winger Samuel Edozie have been drafted to The Junior Lions’ under-18 setup.
England have also moved to made a move to provisionally cap-tie Chelsea’s Musiala, following his first team breakthrough on loan to Bayern Munich of Germany.
England’s under-21 team coach, Aidy Boothroyd named Musiala in his roster for this month’s UEFA U21 EURO qualifiers home double-header against Andorra and Albania; with high expectations from the lad, who has been included in all 12 match squads so far his season and handed some minutes of playing time in eight games.
Born in Stuttgart, Germany, but spent most of his childhood in England, the attacking midfielder is eligible to represent Nigeria through his father, though he has played friendlies for Germany’s U16s as well as England’s U15, U16 and U17 national teams.
An appearance against Andorra or Albania will provisionally cap-tie Musiala, meaning he would later have to make an official request for a change of association if he decides to play for Nigeria or Germany in future.
Musiala’s teammate at Stamford Bridge, Fiabema has been included in a shortlist for English Premier League 2 Player of the Month, after he made hay on October 24, with a goal on his full debut for Chelsea’s under-23 team in a 3-1 loss away to Liverpool.
The 17-year-old Fiabema, who was signed for Tromso of Norway in the January transfer window, is still eligible to represent Chelsea’s U18s, but has been drafted into the U23s after a string of fine displays and he opened his account in a 3-0 win over Arsenal.
Fiabema continued his red-hot form by netting a brace against Derby Town, with three goals scored after his introduction as a substitute; but he faces competition from Isaac Fletcher (Middlesbrough), Joe Hugill (Man United), Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka (Sunderland), Cole Palmer (Man City) and Rhys Williams (Liverpool).
In a similar development, former Golden Eaglets’ goalkeeper, Prince Adegoke has signed a new contract with Chelsea, a year after he was guaranteed a professional contract when he turned 17.
The Blues have now confirmed that the promising keeper has signed his first professional contract a day after Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League win against Stade Rennes of France and committed himself to the London club until the summer of 2023.
Ironically, though, Adegoke is currently undergoing rehabilitation after an operation on his meniscus due to an injury he suffered during the warm-up of a pre-season friendly against Crystal Palace in September.
